(written by Islander)
No one tells anyone at our humble site what to write about. Everyone makes their own choices based on what appeals to them. Serendipitously, this produces a fairly wide span of musical coverage because the tastes of our writers don’t completely overlap, and sometimes diverge dramatically.
This divergence holds true among the three most senior NCS writers (Andy Synn, DGR, and myself), but there are some bands whose music all three of us whole-heartedly and enthusiastically endorse, and the Polish band Dormant Ordeal is one of those. All three of us have been loudly banging the drum for this band in our writing, going back to 2016 when they released their second album, We Had It Coming.
This year we get to renew our drum-banging because Dormant Ordeal are now set to release Tooth and Nail, their fourth album overall and their first for Willowtip Records, on April 18th. Our raucous hammering began as soon as the first single from the album was revealed, and continues today as we present a second one.
Photo Credit: Piotr Dzik
That first song, “Halo of Bones“, discharges a bludgeoning and battering attack spearheaded by dissonant tones that both maul and ring, and soloing that wails. Soon enough the band stomp the pedal on their musical Autobahn and suddenly we’re going at 100 mph (I’m American and don’t understand kpm) with a brutal growler behind the wheel.
It’s very damned exhilarating. The fretwork maniacally veers and viciously scissors; the drumming is jet-fast; all the sounds are gloriously unhinged. And then the machine radically slows. A miserable siren dismally pleads for attention, and the vocals gasp. But at the 3:40 mark the band suddenly stomp the accelerator even harder and things get even more insane.
And now we’ll turn your attention to “Solvent“, the song from Tooth and Nail that we’re premiering today, which is a more elaborate and disturbing but ultimately no less breathtaking song than “Halo of Bones“.
Over the course of this gradually building eight-minute odyssey Dormant Ordeal deliver visceral, blood-pumping and muscle-moving power but they also create changing moods and gripping atmosphere (for want of a better word).
At the outset, eerily ringing notes haunt the listener, but that motif begins to sound more distressed when joined by a gnawing rhythm guitar and booming drums. Those ringing notes build tension, which overflows into a searing maelstrom of sound.
Grim and gritty growls herald the advent of roiling and slashing fretwork in piercing tones, like a frightening sonic whirlpool, and tormented screams magnify the fear factor, like a drowning man being pulled below. Maniacal yet sharply executed drum progressions match the nerves-on-fire impact of the multi-layered guitars and the tandem of harrowing vocals.
The shattering and distressing intensity of the music builds and builds, and then continues to evolve, feverish in its turmoil, knife-like in its cutting edges. The guitar-work is fast yet elaborate, both electrifying and head-spinning. In the midst of the mad vortex guest vocalist Dominic Nucciarone solemnly recites somber words.
And with a few whispers, the music soars and expands, like some vast sunrise that threatens to burn the earth to ash, just as the drums accelerate to breath-taking speed. The vocals go mad as well, snarling like a wounded beast, cornered and fighting for its life.
We’ll turn now to Dormant Ordeal mastermind Maciej Nieścioruk for some thoughts about the new album as a whole:
“We worked hard to make this fourth album happen. JNS Studio once again did a great job tuning in to our suggestions, while having the support of Willowtip gave us freedom to focus on creativity without being distracted. Stick around and have a listen once it’s released, might be just what you’re looking for.”
FURTHER CREDITS:
Music, lyrics, and arrangements by Maciej Nieścioruk. All the tracks except drums on the album were recorded by Paweł Grabowski at JNS Studio in Warsaw. The drums were played and recorded by Chason Westmoreland based on arrangements by Westmoreland and Nieścioruk.
The album includes artwork by See Machine, art direction by Maciej Nieścioruk, and design by Michał “Xaay” Loranc and Maciej Nieścioruk.
Tooth and Nail will be available from Willowtip on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats, and they’re available for pre-order now:
PRE-ORDER:
https://willowtip.com/bands/details/dormant-ordeal.aspx
https://dormantordeal.bandcamp.com/album/tooth-and-nail
DORMANT ORDEAL:
https://dormantordeal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dormant.ordeal/
https://www.facebook.com/dormant.ordeal/